Tab tape for tape carrier package

ABSTRACT

A TAB tape for a tape carrier package may have an opening formed in a shortest connection portion. The opening may be provided in the shortest connection portion and a portion of the corresponding second lead. The opening may be arranged near a boundary between the corresponding first lead and the shortest connection portion. The opening may be sized to reduce the change of the lead width from the first lead to the second lead.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

This U.S. non-provisional application claims benefit of priority under35 U.S.C. §119 from Korean Patent Application No. 2005-74256, filed onAug. 12, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

Example embodiments of the present invention may relate to asemiconductor device and, more particularly, to a tape automated boding(TAB) tape for a tape carrier package.

2. Description of the Related Art

A semiconductor chip may be mounted on a wiring substrate. A wiringsubstrate may include a tape carrier film. A tape carrier film mayinclude a film tape and wiring patterns may be provided on the filmtape.

A tape carrier film and a semiconductor chip mounted on the tape carrierfilm may be packaged to form a tape carrier package. The manufacture ofa tape carrier package may involve a tape automated bonding (TAB)technique for connecting the semiconductor chip to the tape carrierpackage. A tape carrier film may be referred to as a TAB tape.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional TAB tape 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, the TAB tape 10 may include a base film 1. Wiringpatterns may be provided on the base film 1. The base film 1 may befabricated from an insulating material, for example a polyimide resin.The wiring patterns may be fabricated by providing a conductive film,for example a Cu film, on the base film 1 and patterning the conductivefilm by photo etching, for example.

The base film 1 may have a chip mounting area 2. The base film 1 mayhave sprocket holes arranged along opposing edges of the base film 1.

The wiring patterns may include first leads 3 and second leads 4. Thefirst leads 3 may be electrically connected to a semiconductor chipusing an inner lead bonding method (for example). The second leads 4 maybe connected to terminals of an external substrate. As compared to thesecond leads 4, the first leads 3 may be provided at a smaller pitch,and thus may have smaller widths.

The wiring patterns may include input wiring patterns and output wiringpatterns. The input wiring patterns may extend from one side of the chipmounting area 2. The output wiring patterns may extend from the otherside of the chip mounting area 2. The quantity of the second leads ofthe output wiring patterns may be more than the quantity of the secondleads of the input wiring patterns. The widths of the second leads ofthe input wiring patterns may be greater than the width of the secondlead of the output wiring patterns.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged plan view of section 1A in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1A, the wiring patterns may include connectionportions 5 that may extend between the first leads 3 and the secondleads 4. The connection portions 5 may provide a transition between thefirst leads 3 (which may be provided at a relatively small pitch) andthe second leads 4 (which may be provided at a relatively large pitch).For example, the connection portions 5 may extend in an inclined fashionrelative to the first and the second leads 3, 4, respectively.

The connection portions 5 may include a shortest connection portion 5 athat may have the shortest length between the first and the second leads3, 4, respectively. The shortest connection portion 5 a may experience achange of width due to the difference in widths between the first lead 3and the second lead 4.

A tape carrier package implementing a TAB tape may be tested. Duringtesting processes, stresses from heat and/or mechanical shocks (forexample) may be concentrated on the shortest connection portion 5 a,which may damage and/or break the shortest connection portion 5 a.

Attempts have been made to reduce the stress concentration phenomenon atthe shortest connection portion. According to one conventional approach,and with reference to FIG. 2A, notches 6 may be provided in the shortestconnection portions 5 to reduce the change of width of the shortestconnection portions 5.

The notch 6 may dissipate stresses in a specific direction, but it maynot dissipate stresses in different directions, and therefore the notch6 may not reduce stresses due to mechanical shocks.

As shown in FIG. 2B, a dummy pattern 7, which may have a diamond shape,may be provided between a pair of shortest connection portions to extendthe lengths of the shortest connection portions.

However, wiring patterns may be extended in length and/or size, whichmay enlarge the size of the TAB tape. Therefore, the size of asemiconductor device may not be reduced.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the widths of first leads 3, which may be connectedto shortest connection portions, may be widened (as compared to theother first leads 3) in conformity with the widths of second leads 4,which may be connected to shortest connection portions. Here, wiringpatterns may include width adjusted leads 8, which may reduce theintegration and the pitch of a semiconductor chip.

SUMMARY

According to an example, non-limiting embodiment, a TAB tape may includea base film having a chip mounting area. Wiring patterns may be providedon the base film. The wiring patterns may include a plurality of firstleads of a first width. A plurality of second leads of a second width,and a plurality of connection portions connect the first leads to thesecond leads. The connection portions may include a shortest connectionportion. An opening may be provided in the shortest connection portionand a portion of the second lead connected to the shortest connectionportion.

According to another example, non-limiting embodiment, a TAB tape mayinclude a base film having a chip mounting area. Wiring patterns may beprovided on the base film. The wiring patterns may include a pluralityof first leads of a first width, a plurality of second leads of a secondwidth, and a plurality of connection portions connecting the first leadsto the second leads. The connection portions may include a pair ofshortest connection portions. The shortest connection portions may bearranged on opposite sides of a center line that may be perpendicular toa major axis of the chip mounting area. Openings may be respectivelyprovided in each of the shortest connection portions and a portion ofeach of the second leads connected to the shortest connection portions.

According to another example, non-limiting embodiment, a wiringsubstrate may include a base. A plurality of parallel first leads may beprovided on the base at a first pitch. A plurality of parallel secondleads may be provided on the base at a second pitch, which may begreater than the first pitch. Connection portions may connect togetherthe first and the second leads. An opening may be provided in a shortestone of the connection portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will bereadily understood with reference to the following detailed descriptionthereof provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereinlike reference numerals designate like structural elements.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional TAB tape for a tape carrierpackage.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged plan view of section 1A in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 2A through 2C are enlarged plan views of conventional TAB tapesfor tape carrier packages.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of portion of wiring patterns of a TAB tape for atape carrier package in accordance with an example embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged plan view of section 3A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of wiring patterns of a TAB tape fora tape carrier package in accordance with another example embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged plan view of section 4A in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 5 through 7 are plan views of openings that may be implemented ina TAB package for a tape carrier package according to exampleembodiments of the present invention.

The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and are notdrawn to scale. The spatial relationships and relative sizing of theelements illustrated in the various embodiments may be reduced, expandedand/or rearranged to improve the clarity of the figure with respect tothe corresponding description. The figures, therefore, should not beinterpreted as accurately reflecting the relative sizing or positioningof the corresponding structural elements that could be encompassed by anactual device manufactured according to example embodiments of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE NON-LIMITING EMBODIMENTS

Example, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. This inventionmay, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to example embodiments set forth herein. Rather,the disclosed embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will bethorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventionto those skilled in the art. The principles and features of thisinvention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

well-known structures and processes are not described or illustrated indetail to avoid obscuring the present invention.

An element is considered as being mounted (or provided) “on” anotherelement when mounted or provided) either directly on the referencedelement or mounted (or provided) on other elements overlaying thereferenced element. Throughout this disclosure, spatial terms such as“upper,” “lower,” “above” and “below” (for example) are used forconvenience in describing various elements or portions or regions of theelements as shown in the figures. These terms do not, however, requirethat the structure be maintained in any particular orientation.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of wiring patterns of a TAB tape thatmay be implemented in a tape carrier package in accordance with anexample embodiment of the present invention. The TAB tape may have anopening 160 provided in a connection portion 150.

Referring to FIG. 3, wiring patterns of the TAB tape may include firstleads 130, second leads 140, and connection portions 150 connecting thefirst leads 130 to the second leads 140. The width and pitch of thefirst lead 130 may be smaller than the width and pitch of the secondlead 140. Thus, the connection portions 150 may provide a transitionbetween the first and the second leads 130, 140, respectively.

The wiring patterns may be formed by providing a conductive film on abase film (not shown), for example a polyimide film. In this exampleembodiment, the conductive film may be a Cu film. The Cu film may beprovided via a laminating method and/or an electroplating method, forexample. The Cu film may be patterned via a photo etching process, forexample, to form the wiring patterns.

The laminating method may involve press rolling Cu film on the base filmusing heat and pressure. The electroplating method may involvedepositing a Cu seed layer on the base film, placing the Cu seed layerin an electrolyte containing Cu, and applying electricity to theelectrolyte. Numerous and varied laminating and electroplatingtechniques, which are well known in this art, may be suitablyimplemented to fabricate the wiring patterns.

The first leads 130 may be connected to the second leads 140 via theconnection portions 150. The connection portions 150 may include ashortest connection portion 151 that may have the shortest length. Thefirst leads 130 may include the first lead 131 that may be connected tothe shortest connection portion 151, and the second leads 140 mayinclude the second lead 141 that may be connected to the shortestconnection portion 151.

An opening 160 (or hole) may be provided in the shortest connectionportion 151 and the second lead 141. The opening 160 may effectivelyreduce the change of width in the shortest connection portion 151 fromthe first lead 131 to the second lead 141. In this way, the opening 160may (for example) reduce the likelihood that stresses may beconcentrated on the shortest connection portion 151.

The opening 160 may be provided when the wiring patterns are formed. Forexample, a photo etching process may be carried out on the Cu film toprovide the wiring patterns and the opening 160.

In this example embodiment, and with reference to FIG. 3A, the shortestconnection portion 151 may have sides 151 a and 151 b. The opening 160may have a polygonal shape, for example a parallelogram. Theparallelogram may have opposite parallel sides that may be parallel tothe sides 151 a and 151 b of the shortest connection portion 151. By wayof example only, at least one side of the polygonal opening 160 may beparallel to a side of the shortest connection portion 151.

In this example embodiment, a parallelogram-shaped opening 160 may beimplemented. In alternative embodiments, the opening 160 may have theshape of a pentagon, as shown in 5, of a triangle as shown in FIG. 6,and of an oval as shown in FIG. 7. The opening may also have a circularshape. It will be readily apparent that the opening may have anygeometric shape having any number of sides that may be curved orstraight. Also, more than one opening may be provided in the shortestconnection portion.

The amount of the lead width change in the shortest connection portion151 from the first lead 131 to the second lead 141 may be reduced byvirtue of the opening 160.

For example, and with reference to FIG. 3A, the width of the first lead131 may be W1, the width of the second lead 141 may be W2 and the widthof the opening 160 may be Wo. The opening 160 may be arranged near theboundary (indicated in phantom) between the first lead 131 and theshortest connection portion 151, thereby creating a transitional leadwidth of W2-Wo. In this way, the lead width may be more graduallychanged from W1 to W2 through the transitional lead width.

The opening 160 may extend from the shortest connection portion 151 tothe second lead 141, and therefore stresses that may applied to theshortest connection portion 151 may be dissipated in differentdirections. Each of the shortest connection portion 151 and a portion ofthe second lead 141 may be divided into two parts by virtue of theopening 160. Accordingly, the likelihood that leads may be broken due tomechanical shocks (for example) may be reduced.

In this example embodiment, a side of the first lead 131 and a side ofthe second lead 141 may be arranged in a straight line. However, exampleembodiments of the invention may be not limited in this regard. Forexample, the center line of the first lead 131 may be parallel to thecenter line of the second lead 141, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A. Here,the wiring patterns may be symmetrical relative to a center line thatmay be perpendicular to the major axis of the chip mounting area. Inalternative embodiments, the sides of the first lead and the second lead(which may be connected to the shortest connection portion) may beoffset from each other, and the wiring patterns may be asymmetricalrelative to the center line.

One or more openings may be provided in the shortest connection portionof the input wiring patterns and/or the output wiring patterns.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of wiring patterns of a TAB tape fora tape carrier package in accordance with another example embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 4A is an enlarged plan view of section 4A inFIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 4A, the wiring patterns may have a pair ofshortest connection portions 251. The shortest connection portions 251may be provided on opposite sides of a center line CL (indicated inphantom) that may be perpendicular to the major axis of the chipmounting area (e.g., 2 of FIG. 1).

Each of the shortest connection portions 251 may connect a first lead131 to a second lead 141. An opening 160 may be provided in each of theshortest connection portions 251 and each of the second leads 141. Eachopening 160 may be located near the boundary (indicated in phantom)between the first leads 131 and the shortest connection portions 251.

In this example embodiment, one side of the first lead 131 and one sideof the second lead 141 may not be arranged in a straight line. Inalternative embodiments, one side of the first lead 131 and one side ofthe second lead 141 may be arranged in a straight line, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 3A, for example.

The openings 160 may dissipate stresses that may be concentrated on theshortest connection portion 251, and may reduce the likelihood thatleads may be broken due to mechanical shocks, for example.

The relationship between the widths of first leads and the widths ofsecond leads may not be limited to a specific example. Even a relativelysmall difference in widths between the first leads and the second leadsmay result in a stress concentration phenomenon at a shortest connectionportion. The openings according to example embodiments of the presentinvention may be effective in reducing the stress concentrationphenomenon, even if the width of the first leads is at least twice asgreat as the width of the second leads.

By way of example only, the first leads may have a width of 50 μm.

In accordance with example embodiments of the present invention, a TABtape for a tape carrier package may have a reduced stress concentrationphenomenon without increasing the length of connection portions and/orwithout increasing the widths of first leads.

Further, the TAB tape for a tape carrier package may have wiringpatterns which may accommodate a miniaturized and reliable semiconductordevice.

Example, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed. It will be understood that many variations and/ormodifications of the basic inventive concepts, which may appear to thoseskilled in the art, will fall within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A TAB tape, comprising: a base film having a chip mounting area; andwiring patterns provided on the base film, the wiring patterns includinga plurality of first leads of a first width, a plurality of second leadsof a second width, and a plurality of connection portions connecting thefirst leads to the second leads, the connection portions including ashortest connection portion, wherein an opening is provided in theshortest connection portion and a portion of the second lead connectedto the shortest connection portion, wherein the opening is surrounded bythe shortest connection portion and a portion of the second leadconnected to the shortest connection portion.
 2. The tape of claim 1,wherein one side of the second lead that is connected to the shortestconnection portion, one side of the shortest connection portion, and oneside of the first lead that is connected to the shortest connectionportion are arranged in a straight line.
 3. The tape of claim 1, whereinthe center line of the second lead is arranged in a straight line withthe center line of the first lead.
 4. The tape of claim 3, wherein thewiring patterns are symmetrical relative to a center line that isperpendicular to a major axis of the chip mounting area.
 5. A TAB tape,comprising: a base film having a chip mounting area; and wiring patternsprovided on the base film, the wiring patterns including a plurality offirst leads of a first width, a plurality of second leads of a secondwidth, and a plurality of connection portions connecting the first leadsto the second leads, the connection portions including a pair ofshortest connection portions, the shortest connection portions beingarranged on opposite sides of a center line that is perpendicular to amajor axis of the chip mounting area, wherein openings are provided ineach of the shortest connection portions and a portion of each of thesecond leads connected to the shortest connection portions, wherein theopening is surrounded by the shortest connection portion and a portionof the second lead connected to the shortest connection portion.
 6. Thetape of claim 5, wherein the wiring patterns are symmetrical relative tothe center line.
 7. The tape of claim 5, wherein one side of the secondlead that is connected to the shortest connection portion, one side ofthe shortest connection portion, and one side of the first lead that isconnected to the shortest connection portion are arranged in a straightline.
 8. The tape of claim 5, wherein the width of the second lead is atleast twice as great as the width of the first lead.
 9. The tape ofclaim 5, wherein the width of the first lead is less than 50 μm.
 10. Thetape of claim 5, wherein the opening has a polygonal shape.
 11. The tapeof claim 10, wherein at least one side of the opening is parallel to thesides of the shortest connection portion.
 12. The tape of claim 5,wherein the opening has a circular shape.
 13. The tape of claim 5,wherein the opening has an oval shape.
 14. A wiring substrate,comprising: a base; a plurality of parallel first leads provided on thebase at a first pitch; a plurality of parallel second leads provided onthe base at a second pitch, which is greater than the first pitch; andconnection portions connecting together the first and the second leads,wherein an opening is provided in a shortest one of the connectionportions, and the opening being surrounded by the shortest connectionportions.
 15. The wiring substrate of claim 14, wherein the openingextends into the second lead that is connected to the shortest one ofthe connection portions.
 16. The wiring substrate of claim 14, whereinthe opening has a polygonal shape.
 17. The wiring substrate of claim 14,wherein the opening has at least one arcuate side.
 18. The wiringsubstrate of claim 14, wherein the first leads have larger widths thanthe second leads.
 19. The wiring substrate of claim 14, wherein thefirst leads are parallel to the second leads.
 20. The wiring substrateof claim 14, wherein the connection portions are inclined relative tothe first and the second leads.